Ulawulo lweSodium Cyanide kwishishini leGolide laseKenya: uLwaphulo-mthetho noRhwaphilizo

Kwiminyaka emininzi, mercury yayiyeyona khemikhali ikhethwayo ngabembi bemigodi abasomba igolide eKenya. Namhlanje, sodium cyanide iya isanda isetyenziselwa ukusetyenzwa kwentsimbi ekrwada ethwele igolide - umkhwa obonwa kwihlabathi jikelele kwinto echazwe njenge 'i-cyanide inguquko'.

Nangona kunjalo, ubugebenga kunye norhwaphilizo kwicandelo legolide laseKenya lishiye abasemagunyeni besokola ukulawula le khemikhali inokuba yingozi kwaye iqulathe iimpembelelo zayo zokusingqongileyo. Uphando lwesi siqwenga lwalusekwe kwingingqi yaseMigori, eNarok, eSiaya naseKakamega, naseNairobi, ngoSeptemba ka-2021.

Igosa likarhulumente waseKenya laqokelela isampulu yamanzi kwilali yaseKowuor, kwisithili saseMigori, ngoSeptemba ka-2021. Isodium cyanide.

Ukutshintshela ku Isodium cyanide

Isodium cyanide isebenze ngakumbi ekusetyenzweni kwegolide ekudidi oluphantsi kunemekyuri. Ukusebenzisa imekyuri kunokufumana phakathi kwe-25% kunye ne-50%, ubuninzi be-60% yegolide, kodwa nge-cyanide, umntu unokufumana i-95% okanye i-100% yegolide kwintsimbi ekrwada. Oku kuthetha ukuba 'intsila' efumbileyo evela ekutsalweni kwegolide - eqhubekayo eKenya ukususela ngexesha lobukoloniyali - ngumgodi wegolide oqhelekileyo kunye nomagnethi kwiifemu ezifuna ukwenza 'igolide', inkqubo yokukhupha igolide kule nkunkuma.

Nangona kunjalo, uninzi lwezi ndawo zokuhlamba zisebenza ngokungekho mthethweni. Apho kukho imisila eyaneleyo yokugcina isiza esivuzayo, abantu badla ngokukha ngokukhawuleza, basebenze ekurhumeni ukusuka kwindawo kangangeenyanga ezintandathu ukuya kunyaka. Emva kokuba indawo iphelile, badlulela kwindawo elandelayo. Oku kuthintela uhlolo lukarhulumente… uninzi [iindawo] azikho mthethweni. Yiyo loo nto kukho iindawo zokuhlamba kumaziko asezidolophini ukugqiba inkqubo evela kwiindawo ezingekho mthethweni.

Ngamanye amaxesha abasemagunyeni baye baxelelwe kuphela ukuba isiza sikhona xa abaqhubi beqhubekile emva kokugqiba umsila kwindawo. Kuya kuba nzima ukuqalisa ukujonga ukuba i-cyanide inokupheliswa njani na xa kungekho bantu basemthethweni [abanokulandelelwa kwaye bathwaliswe uxanduva].

Nangona kunjalo impilo yoluntu lwasekuhlaleni kunye nemfuyo yabo ibekwe emngciphekweni ukuba imigaqo engqongqo efunekayo yokuqinisekisa ukuba i-sodium cyanide isetyenziswa ngokukhuselekileyo ayihoywa, njengoko imichiza inokungcolisa imithombo yamanzi. Uninzi lweendawo zethutyana ezichaziweyo zingunobangela wokonakaliswa kwendalo, njengoko zishiywe zinganyangwa. Nangona kunjalo, ngeli nqanaba, amaqela e-leaching afudukele kwezinye iisayithi, engashiyi ndlela yokuba abahlali babenze baphendule.

Ngaphambili, bekukho iinzame zokulawula imekyuri kwigolide-icandelo lezemigodi, ngakumbi ngenxa yeziphumo zobugcisa kunye nezincinane [zemigodi] kokusingqongileyo. Emva koko kwangena i-sodium cyanide kwaye impembelelo yayo [kwimpilo] ikhawuleza ngakumbi.

Ubunini opaque kunye neengxaki zelayisensi

Uninzi lwabatyali-mali abaqhuba iisayithi zokurhweba ngokungekho mthethweni batyhola abasemagunyeni ngokunika ukuba akunakwenzeka ukuba basebenze ngokusemthethweni, ngenxa yokulibaziseka ekuvunyweni kweelayisenisi kwiindawo zokuhlamba, ngaphezu korhwaphilizo kunye nokuphazamiseka kwezopolitiko. Ukufumana iphepha-mvume kunokuthatha ukuya kutsho kwiminyaka emibini – nangona iziza ngokwazo zinokuthatha iinyanga nje ukucima. Umzekelo, iNqila yaseMigori kuxelwe ukuba ineendawo ezili-10 ezinelayisenisi ezisemthethweni kodwa izicelo ezingama-40 zilindele ukwamkelwa ukususela ngoSeptemba 2021. Uninzi lweendawo ezisebenza kulo mmandla azikho mthethweni.

Kukho ukunqongophala kwezibonelelo kumasebe achaphazelekayo. Umzekelo, amagosa ambalwa avela kwiSebe leGeology ajongana neMigori, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira kunye neNarok County, ezibandakanya ummandla omkhulu wemigodi yegolide. Oku kwenza kube nzima ukuchonga nokulawula iisayithi ezivuzayo. Kuphando, iisayithi ezingekho mthethweni zihlala zifunyanwa. Abasemagunyeni bahlala benika abaqhubi ixesha lokufaka izicelo [zephepha-mvume] okanye bavale kwaye baxhomekeke kumapolisa ukuba enze le miyalelo.

Le meko inika ubunini kunye nolawulo lweendawo zokuchwetheza zingabonakali kuluntu olungqongileyo: amaxesha amaninzi amagama eenkampani, abalawuli okanye ubunini bokugqibela beziza akaziwa. Bambalwa abasebenzi basekuhlaleni – uninzi lwabasebenzi abanezakhono babonelelwa ngabasebenzi abasuka phesheya kweelwandle – kwaye bahlala behlawulwa ngemali eziinkozo, beshiya umkhondo wephepha omncinane. Uninzi lwabahlali babiza indawo emva kweqela elininzi labemi bamazwe angaphandle abasebenza apho, abanokuhlala bengamaTanzania, amaIndiya okanye amaTshayina.

Ubuqhophololo kunye nobundlobongela kwicandelo legolide

Abantu kwezoshishino bathi abantu bezopolitiko badla ngokuba ngabona baxhamlayo kweli shishini. NgoSeptemba 2019. umsebenzi wabasemagunyeni kwisiphaluka saseMigori wakhokelela ekuvalweni kwemizi-mveliso yegolide engaphezulu kwama-40 esebenza ngokungekho mthethweni, kuquka ezimbini ekuxelwe ukuba zilawulwa ligosa eliphezulu lesithili. Oku kutyholwa ngokuba luphawu lweshishini namhlanje.

Unobhala wefemu yomthetho uthe uninzi lweendawo eziqhekezwayo ziqhutywa ngabantu abanonxulumano lwezopolitiko, nto leyo evumela ukuba iinkqubo zityeshelwe xa kusenziwa izivumelwano naxa kuthengwa umhlaba. Kunyaka ophelileyo, isivumelwano sokuthengiswa komhlaba senziwa ngabanye abarhwebi baseIndiya ngenkampani eyayithenga umhlaba ekuhlaleni. Xa umabhalane waqhankqalaza ukuba kunokuba semthethweni ukubandakanya ukuvuza kwegolide njengethemba lento abaza kuyenza emhlabeni, bagxininisa ukuba isivumelwano siza kudlula kuba babexhaswa ngamagosa aphezulu karhulumente. Ngokuqinisekileyo, kwiinyanga ezintandathu kamva isityalo esivuzayo sasivukile kwaye sisebenza.

Ukusebenza ngaphandle kwenkqubo yezomthetho kukwashiye iindawo ezivuzayo zisemngciphekweni omkhulu wongquzulwano, njengoko iingxabano malunga nezivumelwano zegolide kunye nokusukuzana phakathi koosomashishini zibonakaliswa ngobundlobongela kuneenkundla.

Esinye isiganeko esinjalo senzeke nge-18 kaMatshi 2021. xa amadoda axhobileyo anxibe i-General Service Unit (i-paramilitary yamapolisa aseKenya) iyunifomu yahlasela indawo yegolide e-Isebania, kufuphi nomda waseTanzania. Inxalenye yolu gqogqo yabanjwa kwimifanekiso yefowuni yeCCTV kwizakhiwo zosomashishini, owabanga ukuba amagosa ebe iikhilogram ezi-2.5 zegolide ezixabisa i-11 yezigidi zeeshilingi zaseKenya (Ksh) kunye ne-Ksh2 yezigidi zemali (malunga ne-US $ 95 000 kunye ne-US $ 17 000 ngokulandelelana).

Akufika ngemoto yohlobo lweToyota Land Cruiser engabhalwanga, amapolisa afudukela kwindawo echetywayo angena ngenkani ngokutsiba isango, abetha abasebenzi abathathu aze axhwila abanye ababini. Awangcungcuthekisa la madoda aza angena ngenkani kwindlu ekhuselekileyo. Emva koko badlulela kwibhari ekufutshane yaloo mrhwebi, baqala ukubethela abaxhasi ngakumbi, bahamba.

Ummeli omele lo somashishini uthe akukho polisa laseMigori okanye kwisikhululo esikufuphi sase-Isebania abazi ngalo gqogqo kwaye baza kuqhuba eli tyala norhulumente. Usomashishini kamva wamangalelwa ngokuphepha irhafu nguGunyaziwe weRhafu yaseKenya kwiNkundla ePhakamileyo yaseKisii. Wayenqwenela ukwazi ukuba yimalini na irhafu awayetyala urhulumente okanye nguwuphi na umthetho awawaphulayo ukuze avumele olu hlobo lohlaselo oluvela kumajoni [amajoni] hayi amapolisa aqhelekileyo, awayengena ngaphandle kwemvume yokugqogqa okanye azikhathaze ngokumxelela ukuba kwenzeke ntoni. Ubekwe ityala enkundleni, kodwa bekungekacaci nto. Ukususela ekuhlaselweni, usomashishini ulahlekelwe ngabathengi, amaqabane oshishino kunye nokuthembela; uye wanyanzeleka ukuba avale indawo kwaye uye wehla kakhulu kutyalo-mali lwegolide.

Kwakhona, kukho isiphakamiso sokuba oku kunxulumene nezopolitiko. Imithombo eqheleneyo nesiza se-leaching (ethetha ngemeko yokungaziwa) yathi isetyenziswe njengephambili ngamagosa aphezulu kurhulumente wesithili saseMigori kunye nezopolitiko zasekhaya. Olu gqogqo lusenokuba sisiphumo sokungavisisani phakathi kwala maqela, nanjengoko oorhulumente basekuhlaleni bebengazi ukuba kuzakwenzeka, becebisa ukuba umyalelo wogqogqo usuka phezulu.

Umngcipheko wobundlobongela - kwiingxabano phakathi kwamashishini abakhuphisana nabo okanye abasemagunyeni abanobuqhophololo - umise indlela ezisebenza ngayo iisayithi zokurhweba. Ukwenzela ukhuseleko, abantu bahlala besebenzisa amaziko asezidolophini ukuze bahlambulule okanye bagqibezele inkqubo yokucoca igolide kwiindawo ezivuzayo, kuba ezilalini, kulula ukuhlaselwa ngabaphuli-mthetho. Uninzi lweendawo zasezidolophini zineendonga eziphakamileyo zezitena nodaka, incakuba okanye ucingo oluphilayo phezulu kunye namasango amaninzi kunye namacandelo abiyelweyo ukuze akhuseleke.

Iikhonkco zokubonelela ngeCyanide

Bonke abo bakwishishini le-leaching baxela ukuba i-sodium cyanide ayifane ithengwe eKenya, ngenxa yemithetho engqongqo ejikeleze ukuphathwa kwayo kunye nokuthutha. Ngokomzekelo, phantsi komthetho waseKenya, icyanide kufuneka ihanjiswe ngesithuthi esiphawulwe ngokuvulekileyo esibonisa izinto ezikuyo, nto leyo etsala ingqalelo engafunekiyo kwiindawo ezivuzayo ezisebenza ngokungekho mthethweni.

Endaweni yoko, le khemikhali isoloko ithutyeleziswa isuka eTanzania. AmaTanzania anolawulo lwe-chokehold kwiindlela ze-cyanide, i-mercury kunye ne-sulfuric acid kwimigodi yegolide eKenya; baye bakwazi ukuphepha zonke iirhafu eziza kuhlawulwa [ngokusebenzisa] iindlela zokurhweba ngokungekho mthethweni… itoni yecyanide iphakathi kweKsh400 000 kunye neKsh500 000 [US$3 400–US$4 300], kwaye iye yahlala izinzile ixesha elide. Abanye bazamile ukungenisa imichiza evela eUganda… apho banomdla wegolide, [kodwa] iirhafu kunye nokujongana neendawo zikarhulumente itoni yecyanide nge-Ksh600 000–Ksh700 000 [US$5 100–US$6 000], kunye neendleko ezingaphezulu ezenziweyo xa zithuthwa ngokukhululekileyo eKenya.

Nje ukuba ikhemikhali ithengwe eTanzania, ikhutshelwa kwiitanki ezincinci ezitywiniweyo ezimalunga ne-120-200 yeelitha ngaphesheya komda. Abantu basebenzisa ngokungqongqo iiminivan ezineefestile ezimnyama ukuthutha imichiza ngeendlela ezithutyeleziswayo. Iiminivans – ngokuchaseneyo neelori ezisetyenziselwa ukuthubelezisa ezinye iimveliso ngokungekho mthethweni – zikhethwa kuba loo nto inetyhefu kwaye kufuneka iphathwe ngononophelo.

Igosa le-geology kwi-county yaseMigori liphinde laqinisekisa ukuba uninzi lwe-sodium cyanide kunye nezakhono zokuyisebenzisa zivela eTanzania ekufutshane, apho sele isetyenziswe ixesha elide. Oku kuxhomekeka kwikhonkco lokubonelela ngeTanzania kuthetha ukuba iindawo ezininzi eKenya zilawulwa eTanzania.

Umngcipheko wethuba elilahlekileyo?

'I-cyanide revolution' inokuba lithuba legolide kwicandelo lezemigodi laseKenya, livumela amashishini ukuba asebenzise into eyinkunkuma ngendlela enenzuzo. Nangona kunjalo, ulwaphulo-mthetho kweli candelo, iminqweno yezopolitiko kunye nokusetyenziswa kobundlobongela endaweni yoko kuguqula eli thuba libe ngumngcipheko.

Umphathi wamapolisa, igosa le-arhente yendalo kunye negosa le-geology kwi-county yaseMigori bonke bayavuma ukuba inzame kuwo wonke amasebe karhulumente waseKenya ukulawula i-leaching kunye nokusetyenziswa kwe-cyanide yeyona ndlela ilungileyo yokuzisa uzinzo kwicandelo. Amapolisa angabamba, kodwa afuna iingcaphephe zamanye amasebe ukuze aqinisekise ukuba kukho umsebenzi ojikelezayo oza kunceda kumatyala asenkundleni.

Okwangoku, ukuba ezi zinto ziyityhefu zisetyenziswa ngamaqela asebenza ngaphandle komthetho, impilo yoluntu lwaseKenya kunye nemfuyo ibeka emngciphekweni.

isikhanyeli

Eli nqaku lithunyelwe kwakhona kwi-Intanethi. Umxholo ngowereferensi kuphela, kwaye asibangi nabuphi na ubunini okanye ukuyilwa kwayo. Asinaxanduva lokuchaneka, ukugqibelela, ukufika ngexesha, okanye ukuthembeka kolwazi olukwinqaku. Ukuba kukho nayiphi na imiba malunga ne-copyright okanye ezinye iinkxalabo zomthetho, nceda uqhagamshelane nathi, kwaye siya kuthatha amanyathelo afanelekileyo ngokukhawuleza.